Charley’s Bar at C Boutique Hotel

It’s a rainy afternoon, of course, it’s the monsoon season already, it’s the perfect time to pick up drinking, so that’s why I’m heading out to meet friends at Charley’s Bar.

OMG, I’m kidding.😂 Actually, the monsoon season for me is perfect for coffee, hot chocolate, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows in the fireplace, movie marathons and comfort food. I hate getting caught in the rain because I don’t like my feet getting wet, it’s just icky, BUT I love the sound of the rain, I find it so comforting.

And although I love staying indoors when it’s raining, I do want to get out sometimes and eat something other than my cooking or something instant that came in a box.

So when Xine of X Marks the Spot invited Sam of The City Behind The Fog and I to eat out at Charley’s Bar, I was thrilled.🥳

I found out later on that we were invited by Miss Gracie, who Sam introduced us to when we were promoting the Second Baguio Blog Conference back in May, to accompany her to sample some dishes from Charley’s Bar at C Boutique Hotel.

It was a rainy afternoon when we arrived at Charley’s Bar at C Boutique Hotel, but as soon as you enter the hotel, you’ll feel warm. I think it’s the Orange theme that does it, it gives it that warm, cozy feel. Coincidentally, I was wearing an orange scarf, I swear I didn’t plan it, I’ve never been to Charley’s Bar before this time, I swear.😅 In the midst of the tour, I felt my stomach rumbling because Xine said to come prepared, and well, you know me, I always have room for food.😅

We went around the place while they were preparing the food they wanted us to try out. And then finally, it was time to eat!

I always start with the dish that I think I won’t enjoy that much. I’m not a picky eater, but there are just some dishes that aren’t worth lingering in my mouth 😅, and in this case I thought that I would least enjoy the Tokwa’t Baboy or Pork with Tofu. You see, I don’t like tofu, I like it as Taho*, but not in salad or in viands, I just don’t like its texture, I don’t like how it’s hard on the outside and then super soft on the inside and then when you bite in it the soft part oozes in your mouth, I just don’t like that sensation.🥴

HOWEVER, and that has to be in all caps for emphasis, I was pleasantly surprised that I LOVED Charley’s Bar’s version of Tokwa’t Baboy.

Taste wise, it was amazeballs!😋 I loved the symphony of soy and vinegar and whatever herbs and spices they added. I loved the crunchiness of the skin of the pork in contrast to the softness of the fat and the meat. The tofu was cooked PERFECTLY. It was sort of almost crunchy on the outside and still soft on the inside but not so runny or wet, so that when you bite it, it’s still soft enough but the gross oozing is not there. I LOVED IT.

It also had a side of fresh basil from their garden that has been battered and then fried, again, amazing on it’s own right. Definitely one of my favorites from what we were served and I’m definitely coming back for this one, and for only 120Php per platter, it’s definitely affordable.

And then came the Pinakbet Tempura.

Pinakbet is a Filipino dish consisting of various vegetables sautéed in shrimp paste, it’s sometimes dry or a little bit soupy depending on your preference, my version is a little bit wet because my kids and ‘O’ like it that way.

So anyway, Charley’s version is battered and fried and usually comes with a shrimp paste, but the kitchen was currently low on shrimp paste so it was served with vinegar. It was good with the vinegar, but I think it would be so awesome with the shrimp paste. Vegetables in this dish are what you’d normally find in Pinakbet, like Squash, String Beans, Eggplant and Okra.

REALIZATION: Battered and Fried Okra is AMAZING!🤤

I love okra, but I never thought about battering it and then deep frying, it’s just so freaking awesome!

It’s so worth it at 90Php per platter, you get value for money indeed!

And then came the Open-Faced Empanadita. It’s like the native Ilocos Empanada, but smaller, open faced and with a quail egg. It’s so delicious.

I loved this and would definitely order this when I go back with ‘O’ soon! I love how you get a little of everything when you bite into it. I tasted it plain and with vinegar, and although it was good on its own, the vinegar gave it more of an oomph, so yeah, definitely have it with the vinegar.

Unfortunately, I don’t know how much a platter of 4 open faced empanaditas cost, but it’s safe to think that it’s still pretty affordable since everything on the menu of Charley’s Bar seems pretty affordable to me, and I can be pretty stingy, so that’s saying something.😂

Next up was the Fisherman’s Pie. Inspired by the Shepherd’s Pie, this one is made of crab meat, green muscles and cream dory on a tomato based sauce topped with mashed potatoes and parmesan cheese.

It’s like the seafood has been stewing quite a bit in the tomato sauce because you can actually taste the seafood and it isn’t bland at all. Surprisingly, the crab meat in this one did not kill me or give me allergies, which could only mean one thing, it’s not real crab. But who cares? It tasted good anyway! And yes, I risked it and this time, I didn’t almost pay with my life, that’s lucky!😁

The mashed potatoes were made from real potatoes and were light and fluffy, super yum! Definitely drool worthy.🤤 Again, I apologize for not knowing how much this cost, but like I said, it’s probably affordable.

Up next is the Sizzling Pinapaitan.

This is a Charley’s Bar original, I think, because I have not seen this anywhere else in the city, so it’s definitely something new for me. I’m not a fan of the Pinapaitan because it’s too bitter for my taste, but I like Sinanglao and ‘O‘ says they’re pretty similar except Sinanglao is not as bitter and isn’t all innards. Pinapaitan is bitter because it’s made of pork innards and the soup is made from pork bile. Pinapaitan literally translates to “to make bitter” or something like that, pait means bitter in Tagalog, just a bit of trivia for my foreign readers.

Pinapaitan is definitely an acquired taste.

So anyway, typically, Pinapaitan is soupy, but this one is made to sizzle in what is supposed to be its soup. It tastes like Pinapaitan and smells like it too but the bitter is strong in this one, perhaps because the soup was reduced to the point of it being dry.

It’s definitely a good beer match, which is what Pinapaitan is actually known for, something paired with alcohol on usually cold Baguio nights. I couldn’t help but crave for rice while we were eating this and I badly wanted it to have soup.

Everything was washed down with one of their famous Mocktail, the Charley’s Temple.

I know right, I had to ask the waitress again if she said it right, and she did. This is like a Shirley’s Temple, minus the alcohol, but it’s just as refreshing. A Mocktail at Charley’s Bar costs 75Php per glass, not bad.

If you’re a beer drinker, Charley’s Bar’s happy hour is from 6pm to 8pm where you can avail of their Beer Buffet for only 299Php per person, if you’re a drinker, this is such a steal, a bucket of 5 is 250Php and comes with your choice or Pica-Pica {beer match to snack on}.

Date night is coming up, and I know where I want to go, Charley’s Bar!😁

Thanks again, Miss Gracie, for inviting us to experience Charley’s Bar at C Boutique Hotel, until our next foodventure!🤗

Charley’s Bar at C Boutique Hotel
No. 5 Arellano St. Corner Moran St., Baguio City
Philippines, CAR 2600 

📸 :  X Marks the Spot for Good Baguio Foods.

*Taho - popular Filipino street food known as 'Soybean curd', comes with sugar syrup and tapioca, in Baguio City, the syrup can either be strawberry or ube flavored.